I have wanted to make a post since Sunday's announcement that Pastor Tom will be leaving us but have not had the right words. That's nothing new for me, which is why I like to post links or quotes from other people. Tom quoted the prayer of St Francis this morning in staff meeting and it has stuck with me all day.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

It is evident to me that there is a great deal of hurt and pain right now in our church body. I carry some of the same feelings and emotions. To be honest, I must admit that there are days when my raw emotions, left unchecked fabricate a dark future in the corners of my mind. But when I submit those feelings and emotions to God and get my focus off of myself, those are my healthiest days. St Francis' prayer is exactly what I needed to focus on today. The following scriptures have also helped me refocus my gaze in the right direction in recent days!

Romans 5:1-6 (The Message)By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that's not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God's grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.

There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn't, and doesn't, wait for us to get ready.

Philippians 1:9-11 (The Message)So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover's life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.

The verse that I have come back to so may times in my life and has continued to be a source of correction and strength for me is....

James 1:2-5 (New International Version) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.



Prayer of St Francis of Assisi